No. 20.] THE BIRDS OF CONNECTICUT. 2/5 



The Sharp-shinned Hawk {Accipiter velox), though diminu- 

 tive in size, is large in courage, and is the true " Chicken Hawk," 

 and probably feeds entirely on birds when obtainable. " When 

 a pair of Sharp-shinned Hawks find a farm where young chickens 

 are easily obtained, they generally visit it until the supply gives 

 out, or the}^ themselves meet a tragic death. Nuttall speaks of 

 a single bird which came every day to a farmhouse until it had 

 carried away between twenty and thirty young chickens." 

 (Fisher, " Hawks and Owls of the United States in their Rela- 

 tion to Agriculture.") 



Its only redeeming trait is that it kills English Sparrows as 

 well as other birds. 



Of 159 stomachs reported by Dr. Fisher, 6 contained poultry 

 or game birds; 99, other birds; 6, mice; 5, insects; and 52 were 

 empty. Of two stomachs examined by Mr. G. V. Smith in Con- 

 necticut, one contained a sparrow, and the other a grasshopper. 

 Of 21 examined by the author, 12 were empty; and the other 

 9 all contained birds, among which were recognized one Flicker, 

 one Goldfinch, sparrows, and warblers. 



Similar in plumage and habits to the Sharp-shinned, but 

 slightly larger, Cooper's Hawk {Accipiter cooperi) is also to be 

 condemned. This is the true " Hen Hawk," its food consisting 

 largely of poultry, domestic pigeons, and game; and for its mis- 

 deeds many a hapless buzzard-hawk has been killed. 



Of 133 stomachs reported by Dr. Fisher, 34 contained poultry 

 or game birds; 52, other birds; ii, mammals; i, a frog; 3, 

 lizards ; and 29 were empty. Dr. Coues says, " it attacks and 

 destroys hares, grouse, teal, and even the young of larger 

 ducks " (" Birds of the Northwest," p. 338). Dr. B. H. Warren 

 writes : " Of the thirty-four birds which I have examined, six- 

 teen showed the food taken to have been chickens ; ten revealed 

 small birds — sparrows, warblers, and meadowlarks ; two, quail ; 

 one, bull-frog ; three, mice and insects ; two, hair and other re- 

 mains of small quadrupeds " (" Birds of Pennsylvania," 1888, p. 

 80). Three stomachs examined by the author were all empty, 

 but one bird was shot while killing a chicken. 



The Pigeon Hawk (Falco colunibarius columbarius) must 

 also be classed among the injurious species, its food consisting 

 chiefly of birds ; but it occurs with us only as a by no means com- 

 mon spring and fall migrant. 



